The average age of the 11 was 24 and featured seven players 24 or under. There was also a youthful look to Derby's bench with Jason Knight, Max Bird and Jayden Mitchell-Lawson.

Forest opted for eight changes to the team that won at Fulham at the weekend.

Brennan Johnson, son of former Forest striker David, was handed his first start for the club, with Matty Cash, Tobias Figueiredo, Yuri Ribeiro, John Bostock, Alfa Semedo, Rafa Mir and Adomah also coming into the side.

Goalkeeper Brice Samba, defender Joe Worrall and forward Lolley were the players to keep their places.

The fixture was the fourth of five in 15 days for both teams ahead of Derby's visit to Brentford on Saturday and Forest at home to Preston. It is a demanding schedule at any time but more so when it comes as players are still finding their match legs and lungs after pre-season.

Holmes, a midfielder, was at right back - he played there for Derby at Preston last season - and the Rams went in with a 4-2-3-1 shape. Bennett was up front with Sibley in the No.10 role. Whittaker lined up on the right and Paterson the left with Shinnie and Evans in a central-midfielder pairing.

The opening 10 minutes was typically frenetic. Players had no time on the ball and challenges went in, but Sibley showed no nerves as he surged from deep inside his own half and his pass almost put in Holmes, who had bombed forward.

Nottingham Forest 3-0 Derby County

Whittaker saw an effort blocked after his positive run took him into the Forest box, and Derby had started on the front foot.

But Forest gradually took a grip on the contest.

Cash sent a volley dipping over Derby's bar as did Mir from a good position before Hamer was called into action for the first time. Johnson found Mir, whose side-foot effort was parried by the Rams keeper.

The pressure was building and Forest took the lead after 25 minutes.

Lolley's corner was not dealt with by Derby and the ball dropped to Adomah, who turned it into the net from six yards.

A poor goal to concede, and it came a couple of minutes after both sets of fans had applauded in memory of the late Junior Agogo, who died last week. He used to wear the number 23 shirt for Forest.

Boosted by the goal, Forest doubled their lead 10 minutes before half time.

This time Adomah was the creator. He whipped over a fine cross from the left and Lolley had the run on Buchanan, which made him favourite to meet the ball first. He did, and sent a thumping header wide of Hamer but the collective defending out wide in trying to halt Adomah's progress was not good enough.

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Derby needed to respond. They fashioned a good chance when Paterson drove the ball low into the Forest area and Whittaker sent a first-time shot from 12 yards flashing over.

No efforts on target in the first half was a sorry stat that Derby needed to improve on in the second half but it was the home side that continued to threaten after the restart.

Cash's drive was deflected into the side-netting. From the corner, Mir's header at the back post was pushed out by Hamer.

Forest introduced record signing Carvalho, back after injury, while Derby turned to striker Jack Marriott.

But it was Carvalho, and Forest, who were smiling again as the third goal went in after 79 minutes.

Davies smashed his attempted clearance against Carvalho and the ball flew high past a startled Hamer from 12 yards. Carvalho cannot have known anything about it and the goal put a lid on a poor night for the Rams.